How to Enter

Participation in the Awards is open to all schools which have undertaken and completed a PALS project. Projects must be entered into the awards in the year the project is completed, except where the project is ongoing or part of a phased initiative.

To enter, schools are required to document the journey their community takes throughout the project, considering their views and beliefs prior to PALS and after.

This journey is recorded by the students using any mix of audio and visual techniques and the results submitted to DIA prior to the final day of third term as their submission for a PALS Schools Reconciliation Award.

The submission should address the judging criteria and provide anecdotal and/or quantitative data to support its claims against one or more of the PALS objectives.

However, unlike a typical award submission, it is not necessary to address the criteria individually. It is only important that the overall award submission provides an insight to the judges on the journey taken by participants and how it relates to the criteria.

The judging panel will use the criteria as a guide when assessing submissions and their impact on the community.

It is important to note that the judging criteria measures the impact of the project rather than the project itself.

CATEGORIES AND GOALS

Choose which category best describes the impact of your school’s PALS project. Your entry should include some information, either anecdotal or qualitative, that describes how it has contributed to the goals of that category.

• Community Development: Increased participation, involvement and engagement of Indigenous parents and communities in school life.
• Education: Increased student attendance, participation rates and engagement in school activities.
• Environment: The school and/or community environment embraces Indigenous culture creating a welcoming environment that encourages participation from Indigenous people.
• Arts and Culture: The community has a greater understanding and appreciation of the state’s rich Indigenous culture and heritage and has contributed to the preservation of these attributes.
• Health: Contributing to a more health conscious and knowledgeable community through sustainable education initiatives.
• Sustainable Partnerships: Developing sustainable and ongoing community partnerships that is focused on building better relationships and futures between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

All PALS Award entries should also meet the following general criteria.

1. The PALS project considers existing social and environmental factors such as involvement of Indigenous parents and other community members in school life, student knowledge and exposure to Indigenous culture and issues, number of Indigenous students compared to other cultures, etc.
2. The PALS project addresses an identified concerns and/or issue and demonstrates through participant feedback that their has been a behavioural or perception shift as a result of their involvement in the project. E.g., the PALS project might have initiated and the need for engagement of Indigenous parents and resulted in a shared pride and respect for Indigenous people and culture.
3. Explores issues of reconciliation and the impact of European settlement on Indigenous cultural identity resulting in an improved understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture and heritage.
4. Sustainability – there is potential for the positive benefits created by the PALS project to have a long-term impact on the individual, school, and/or broader community.

 GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE AWARDS

A payment of $750 is available to support all schools entering a PALS project in the PALS Awards. To be eligible for the payment, the school must complete and forward to the DIA, a registration form including a brief outline of the project. Payment will be made on receipt of an appropriate tax invoice. Any school receiving the payment is required to enter the awards or forfeit the grant.

DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS         

Award submissions must be received at the DIA by Monday 31 August 2009. To be successful, the submission will include a completed application form including details of the category in which the application is to be assessed, an overview of the project undertaken and a brief summary of how the project has impacted the school community, in relation to the program objectives.

The application form should be accompanied by a visual record of the community’s journey toward Reconciliation using direct quotes and comments from participants that show a positive change in attitudes and beliefs.

THE JUDGING PANEL

The judging panel can vary in number from six to 12 but must include representation from a variety of areas of expertise including:

• The Department of Indigenous Affairs
• Education – government and private
• Sponsors
• Indigenous community